


The Firecracker and the Butterfly

by Toongrrl1990



Series: Sherman Oaks-Stoneybrook Connection [2]
Category: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin, Never Have I Ever (TV), The Baby-Sitters Club (TV 2020)
Genre: American History, American characters, Asian Character(s), Asian Teens, Asian-American Character, Bonding, COVID-19, Cousin relationships, Cousins, Female Friendship, Gen, Indian Character, Japanese Character(s), Marginalized People, Platonic Relationships, Quarantine, Teen girls, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26844298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toongrrl1990/pseuds/Toongrrl1990
Summary: Devi virtually tutors Claudia on a history report but the girls end up gaining so much more together.
Series: Sherman Oaks-Stoneybrook Connection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947049
Comments: 10
Kudos: 5





	The Firecracker and the Butterfly

_“This is John McEnroe, my favorite player of all time. Look at him, giving it back to that umpire. He’s a firecracker, just like you…do you think John McEnroe would let that umpire tell him that he’s not beautiful? No. He would stand up for himself…You fight back with your spirit, little one. You stand up for yourself, just like him [John McEnroe at 1980s tennis match yelling at an umpire ‘Answer my question! Answer the question you jerk!’]”_

_\-----Mohan Vishwakumar, Pilot of **Never Have I Ever** _

_“Miss Packett, I would like you please to respect my Claudia’s intelligence and imagination. You asked the children to draw themselves the way they see themselves, and my Claudia sees herself as a free spirit, like a butterfly. So that is what she drew.”_

_\-----Mimi Yamamoto, **The Baby Sitters Remember**_

_Glorious is the Voice of Man, and sweet is the music of the harp_

_\-----Richard Llewellyn, **How Green Was My Valley**_

“Claudia doesn’t seem to be focusing hard enough in class.”

“I’m surprised Janine’s little sister would be so mediocre in class.”

Claudia, because she was struggling in virtual U.S. History class, now was being assigned to a virtual tutor from California. Which is why she was spending the hours she would have been spending helping Mimi and her Mom in the kitchen. Janine was going to spend that time out of her room to help them, like Janine was going to get creative and generous with the flavors. “She’d be measuring everything,” Claudia grumbled to herself. Didn’t help that her social interactions have been virtual or across the street as her parents didn’t feel even a social distance get-together was safe as Mimi was in a high-risk group as a senior citizen and a survivor of stroke, of course Stacey would understand: diabetics are high-risk.

She heard that this girl, Devi Vishwakumar, was some kind of teenage genius. She just hopes she wasn’t some robot like Janine could be sometimes, as Claudia turned on her laptop and waited for it to load.

About three hours or so away in Sherman Oaks, California Devi found herself loading her laptop as she lamented the lack of sexual and social contact, “Damn COVID” she thought. Just when she was going to make a decision whether she was going out with Ben or Paxton, COVID cases have gotten so high that her mother took her out of school and started having her homeschool herself. After two awkward weeks of not talking, the boys started talking to her, Paxton was setting up Zoom sessions with his friends as he doesn’t feel safe interacting with them as Rebecca was in a high-risk group and Devi was happy to see that Ben’s parents were staying home with him for once. Fabiola told her that her parents were mourning the fact their trip to France was canceled and that things were still going strong with Eve, as she has set up social distance dates in her backyard; Eleanor was vlogging monologues and performances from her drama class and started moving on to acting out scenes from sitcoms from the 1960s.

Devi’s mother and cousin were very busy: the latter with her studies and the former with her work. Devi’s mother actually has to sanitize herself or quarantine herself from the rest of the household just in case she was carrying the virus to her only child and her niece. Kamala manages to precook and prepare everything just in case she didn’t have the time to cook and there were rare times the two of them would binge movies and TV, having finished all seven seasons of _Mad Men_ where they discussed the storylines and the fashion and which character they were (Kamala told Devi she was like Pete Campbell, which earned her a throw pillow especially because Devi told her she was definitely a Trudy Campbell, like Eleanor). Later Kamala, after explaining why being compared to Pete isn’t a bad thing, asked Devi if she could play the theme song while she prepared some Vegetarian Tikka Masala tacos, similar to what she once tried at Mama Fina’s restaurant with Steve once.

The computer was finally loaded up and Claudia turned to the email to enter the virtual meeting room where she came face-to-face with Devi, a nice-looking teenage girl who appeared to be quite normal (not robotic) and wore basics, but the warm color palette (oranges, reds, yellows) looked really cool on her. “I need to ask Dawn what Californian girls do to make basic clothes look relaxed,” she thought. “Hi,” she greeted, never forgetting her manners, “I’m Claudia Kishi,” she told the teenager with long wavy hair.

Devi was amazed at how stylish this kid was: raven black hair in a lime-green scrunchie, eyes lined with hot pink liner and blush-colored shadow, a fringed top under a vintage jean jacket with embroidered flowers, earrings made of Barbie Doll Heels (matching), and glossy pink lip gloss. “Those earrings look hella cool, I’m Devi. I’m going to be tutoring you in history,” Devi replied, glad that she will be working with a little kid that seems as cool as Claudia and had all this artwork displayed (including a sculpture clearly inspired by menstruation!).

Claudia was glad that this girl was impressed by her earrings: she was afraid this girl from a place as far and exotic as California and was a super-genius was going to be a know-it-all she couldn’t relate to but she was uneasy about this school report on Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who she heard was great but at the same time interned Japanese Americans like Mimi and her parents. From what her parents heard about Devi, she didn’t seem like a girl who let her feelings get in the way of her grades. “So I take it Mr. Shapiro and your teacher, Mr. Redmont have exchanged some notes and gave you an assignment to talk about FDR’s legacy as a President,” then noticing Claudia’s puzzled expression she clarified “Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s initials, name is kind of long don’t you think?” as she winked at Claudia, who nodded in agreement. Devi was glad to get the girl focused, “Pretty much detail all his great accomplishments….” Devi was kind of stunned her teacher didn’t expect a young girl with clearly woke artistic leanings, and a Japanese-American at that, to feel some kind of cynical way about a President with a spotty record on race relations in World War II.

Claudia decided to break the tension that the older girl clearly read: “I know he was a great President who ended the Great Depression, started Social Security, and more open acceptance of people who have disabilities but why does everyone want to focus on how great he was and ignore the fact he interned a lot of people, including families like my great-grandparents and grandmother Mimi?” She learned all that from listening to Janine muttering about why Mr. Redmont would not see how problematic some past presidents were on what Claudia remembered as “margarine groups”. Claudia noticed how stunned Devi’s face went, oh boy, why can’t she just focus on things?

Devi just felt a wave of admiration for a middle-school girl who can see through entitled white male bullshit: “That was savage Claudia! Up top!” holding her hand up for a high-five and then remembering this was a virtual meeting, Claudia gamely met her with her hand. “You really don’t think I’m a baby for feeling this way?” she asked, stunned that a focused and high-achieving academic teen would encourage her. “Girl no, I get it! I’m surprised by teacher would assign this guy to both of us,” Devi changed her facial expression, voice, and posture to mimic an adult male, “Genocide is not 100. And systematic racism is not litty!” Claudia started laughing, she didn’t think she’d have this much fun with an older girl who was a genius like Janine. “It’s just I tend to do better with how things feel and what can be beautiful than with facts, I try not to focus on things I’m not good at, like school, and focus on the things I am.” Devi was curious, “What are you good at? And let me tell you about feelings, I bet you never threw a fit over your rival getting a 99 on a test while you get a 98 and then smashed a piece of glass in Chemistry over it, like I did.” Claudia laughed, Devi was so funny and cool and she seemed to really understand her. “I’m really good at art and fashion, I sometimes silk-screen my own t-shirts and do tie-dye,” she replied. “As expected,” Devi beamed. “I’m also pretty good at cooking with my Mimi before her stroke and I’m a great babysitter, I always have fun with the kids I babysit,” finished Claudia. Devi was stunned, “I’d say you’re cool as ice, but that isn’t a good quality for a babysitter, my Mom still says I have to be chaperoned! She won’t let me have a boyfriend!” So far at 13, Claudia was in a better place as a person than Devi, she didn’t seem like the kind of person who’d scream at her Mom that she wished she died instead of Dad or ditch her friends in need just to get the coolest guy in school. “I tend to be very difficult, competitive, my best friend Fabiola was commented that I sound like a sociopath sometimes, but you are like such sweet kid who has her sh—stuff together more than the kids at my school, and I bet you don’t look at your phone while babysitting.” Claudia beamed and shook her head no, “I really appreciate that.”

“Okay, before I get in trouble, we are going to detail the pros and cons of his administration and we can work a script that reflects your own feelings about his actions,” Claudia was amazed, at this genius wanting to work her feelings into her historical project and Devi quipped, “I think Dead White Guys can stand a savage lashing from a teen girl in the style of a hyper-critical Asian Mom.” Claudia looked interested, “You mean it Devi?” Devi got serious, “About two years ago, I used to play the harp and I’m really good at it, I can play a lot of different songs and I think I have a legit voice,” Devi took a deep breath and Claudia encouraged her to go on “So I was performing for a school concert when my Dad gets up screaming, he just got a heart attack…he died that night and then later I lost the use of my legs for a year while I went to swim practice and the whole school thought I was being a psycho or fake,” Devi said to Claudia as the younger girl felt her eyes grow moist “A year later, I was partying and fighting with my mom a lot, then we had a big fight when she wanted to take me to India for us to live there and I would be under control, I ran away until my friends convinced me to go talk to her and be there while she and my cousin brought my Dad’s ashes to Malibu, because he loved the ocean. We hugged and cried.” Claudia took a deep breath and thoughtfully replied, “There’s an old Buddhist saying: ‘Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden in the mind’, do you think you and your Mom got rid of your mind’s burdens?” Devi smiled, this little kid was really on to something despite her feeling hopeless at academics, “Dang girl, are you some kind of therapist? You’d be good; we haven’t gotten rid of them all but it felt like a juice cleanse…and I got to meet my Dad’s favorite star, John McEnroe.” Claudia was positively giddy, “Who is John McEnroe?” They both laughed.

For the next several weeks, they discussed the assignment: Devi showed her how she can make her slideshows really stand out and fit with the mood of her discussions while Claudia picked the colors and the pictures for the project and decided to weave in some current events, then they both talked about what it meant to be an Asian girl with that problematic history behind them and Devi was blown away by how Claudia was willing to open up about her experience of learning about Manzanar after her grandmother’s stroke. “Girl, I couldn’t talk about my experience with my Dad and disability all because I wasn’t ready, even if it meant I couldn’t go to Princeton,” Claudia nodded in sympathy “I really wanted to go to a prestigious fine arts program for high school in New Haven, but then the pandemic happened and it was canceled.” Devi gave a sympathetic look back to her, “So I understand how facts and feelings can be conflicting too, fact is I could go to Princeton with my grades, extracurricular activities, and story but I didn’t feel ready to get that vulnerable just so a panel could choose to reject me or not.” Claudia replied, “I wish you would have told that admissions officer ‘Why now?’” Devi smirked, “See you handle things better than me, my Mom would really like you.” Claudia smiled, “I think my parents would really like you as their daughter, two genius daughters.” Devi thought about it, “Yeah but wouldn’t me and Janine start World War III like I did at a Model UN?” The girls laughed and showed pictures of friends and family.

Several weeks after the project was over, with Claudia receiving a B- (“Girl that was A+ work! I should know we both worked on it!” said Devi fuming at how unfair Mr. Redmont could be), Devi sent her a virtual invite on Instagram where Claudia received it on the Kishi family account for private followers and users, she accepted and then saw Devi was wearing her in a long, wavy and curly, hairdo with a huge bump at the crown and elaborate eye-makeup and lipgloss while wearing a backwards cardigan (“So Grace Kelly,” thought Claudia) and gold jewelry over a short, pleated plaid skirt that showed off coltish legs and combat boots while she sat next to a harp. “I talked to my friend Eleanor and she suggested I play this song on the harp because she was on a _Bewitched_ binge!” Claudia (working a Ruth Bader Ginsburg look) lit up on the screen: “I love that show! I want to become Endora when I grow up!” Devi chuckled, “I don’t know about Endora girl, but I can do Serena! And you bring your Serena to Trevor Sandbourne!” and then she sat down and started putting her fingers to the harp. Claudia was drawn in by the pretty music as Devi cleared her throat to start singing.

_Wherever you are tonight_

_I feeling healthy that you look outta sight_

_So I'm gonna blow you a kiss in the wind_

_And when it reaches your lips, my dear_

_You're gonna smile and feel me oh so near_

_So I'm gonna blow you a kiss in the wind_

_I’ve been laying here in my bed, yeah_

_Pretty images and thoughts runnin through my head_

_About a guy in my mind I can almost touch!_

_Oh!_

_Oh my goodness, I miss you and I love you so much_

_Wherever you are tonight_

_I feeling healthy that you look outta sight_

_So I'm gonna blow you a kiss in the wind_

_Yeah! I’m gonna blow you a kiss in the wind!_

As Claudia got excited over the song and started sending heart emojis from the Kishi Family account, Paxton and Ben were confused: was Devi seeing a girl from that family? A girl who was getting a kiss blown from Devi herself?

Kamala was filming the whole thing and restraining an urge to clap: it really touched her heart that her baby cousin was opening up to a child. “Literally, music to my ears,” she thought to herself.

**Author's Note:**

> The first quote was from this scene from the first episode of "Never Have I Ever" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS1kFsPpzoY&ab_channel=Netflix
> 
> The second quote was read out loud in "The Claudia Kishi Club" and was a ultimate moment of Mimi. 
> 
> The 3rd quote....I frigging love that movie. 
> 
> Kamala's explanation for Devi being Pete Campbell came from this video from The Take (then ScreenPrism) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4uZPwRL6PQ&ab_channel=TheTake  
> "And if you're trying to be Don but failing, that makes you Pete. Pete's petty immaturity, insecurities, selfishness, and struggles in the rat race are all things we dislike in others; but if we're honest, they're also behaviors that many of us can admit to being guilty of" He reflects things we don't like in ourselves. Perhaps Devi would be in a better place if she stops focusing on becoming cool by her peers' standards and buckles down and then work hard. Maybe a video to show Ben too? 
> 
> I love Kamala and Devi together. We need more cousin relationships reflected in the media. 
> 
> Speaking of cousins, meet Samantha Stephen's Cousin Serena https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3cFkXSgfjg&ab_channel=andreaarias
> 
> Mama Fina's is a reference to the Netflix show "Gentefied".


End file.
